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Land Speeder Tornado
' 2nd Company, the Ravenwing]] The Land Speeder Tornado is a variant of the standard Land Speeder used by the Adeptus Astartes. It is the most common and widespread of all Land Speeder variants. The only difference between the standard Land Speeder and the Land Speeder Tornado is its deployed weaponry, as the Land Speeder Tornado adds another weapon, usually an Assault Cannon or Heavy Flamer, under the craft's nose. This increase in firepower gives the Land Speeder Tornado the ability to better engage larger numbers of enemy combatants that are tightly grouped together, such as the Tyranids or the Orks. The Land Speeder and its variants are highly suited for lightning fast hit-and-run tactics which often employ a Land Speeder Tornado assaulting enemy infantry squads while a Land Speeder Typhoon uses its missiles to destroy enemy armoured vehicles. History Land Speeder Tornadoes during the Great Crusade]] The origins of the standard Land Speeder and its Tornado variant date back to the first century of the Great Crusade in the 30th Millennium, when Techno-Archaeologist Arkhan Land led several expeditions into the uncharted and extremely dangerous depths of the Librarius Omnis on Mars. During these expeditions, Land rediscovered the Standard Template Construct (STC) designs for two heavy tracked vehicles. The first was the mighty battle tank which would later be known as the Land Raider, and the second was the humble utility vehicle called the Land Crawler. Land also discovered information regarding powerful and compact plates capable of emitting an anti-gravitic field and Land later developed theories on their uses. Unfortunately, years before the first Land Speeder was built, Arkhan Land and his entire expeditionary force were wiped-out by an unknown, yet extremely powerful psychic entity while conducting yet another expedition into the Librarius Omnis. All three of the designs he found were ultimately named after him. Legion Land Speeder Tornado during the Horus Heresy]] Some time after his death, the anti-gravitic plate technology he had discovered was used in the construction of the Land Speeder. The Land Speeder was issued to the Space Marine Legions and to the Imperial Army as a light vehicle intended for scouting and lightning-fast assaults. During the Horus Heresy the Land Speeder was used on both sides of the conflict, yet due to the difficulty and expense of maintaining them they are no longer used by the Traitor Legions. After the Horus Heresy, and the reformation of the Imperial Army into the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard, the Land Speeder was no longer issued to non-Astartes soldiers, as their technology has become far too precious and complex to be risked in the hands of Imperial troops who are not the elite of Mankind. The original Land Speeder had several different patterns, several of which were slower than others. These early designs were dropped from use completely as they had only been used by the mortal soldiers of the Imperial Army. The Land Speeder patterns used by the Astartes are far too fast and difficult to control for non-enhanced human reflexes. Armament Space Marine Chapter]] The Land Speeder Tornado is able to fulfill the same scouting and reconnaissance role as the standard Land Speeder, yet with the added firepower of its additional weapon. The standard Land Speeder Tornado is armed with a single pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter that is operated by the vehicle's gunner and a Heavy Flamer that is mounted under the craft's nose, which is controlled by the vehicle's driver. The Heavy Bolter can be switched out for a Multi-Melta to give the Land Speeder Tornado enhanced anti-armour firepower and the Heavy Flamer can be swapped for an Assault Cannon, giving the vehicle a powerful weapon against enemy infantry and light armour. There are some Space Marine Chapters that use a slightly different non-named pattern of Land Speeder and Land Speeder Tornado that is equipped with twin-linked Heavy Bolters in place of the single one and some variants are known to be equipped with twin-linked Assault Cannons. During the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy there were several different variations of the standard Land Speeder, some of which included hull-mounted cannons and different pintle-mounted weapons, but these variants have long since disappeared from most, if not all, Imperial armouries. Unlike many other Imperial vehicles, the Land Speeder has no upgrades or attachments that can be equipped. Unit Composition *'1-3 Land Speeder Tornados' Wargear A standard Land Speeder Tornado is armed and equipped with: *'Heavy Bolter (Pintle-mounted)' *'Heavy Bolter' A Land Speeder Tornado may replace its pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter with one of the following pintle-mounted weapons: *'Heavy Flamer' *'Multi-Melta' A Land Speeder Tornado may also be armed with the following underslung weapons: *'Heavy Bolter' *'Multi-Melta' *'Assault Cannon' Formations *'Ravenwing Attack Squadron' - The Ravenwing Attack Squadron consists of one Ravenwing Assault Bike Squadron or one Ravenwing Attack Bike Squadron and one Ravenwing Land Speeder Squadron or a single Land Speeder Vengeance. Dust clouds billow behind the Ravenwing Attack Squadron as it hurtles into battle. Striking swiftly, the 2nd Company huntsmen drive hard into the midst of the enemy, many foes falling before they even realise their danger. With massed firepower, the Attack Squadron mow their victims down in huge numbers. They plough a bloody furrow through the heart of battle, bursting from the foe's rear ranks before wheeling about and diving back into the fray once more. It is these high-speed attacks for which the Ravenwing are rightly feared, yet this is not the only trick they have to play. Should some vital quarry be sighted, or a mighty enemy strongpoint need to be purged, the hunters activate their Teleport Homers and -- amid a crackling storm of light -- summon the merciless warriors of the Deathwing to join the fight. *'Ravenwing Support Squadron' - The Ravenwing Support Squadron consists of a Ravenwing Land Speeder Squadron and a single Ravenwing Land Speeder Vengeance or Ravenwing Darkshroud. If the Attack Squadrons are the sword of the Ravenwing, then the Support Squadrons are their shield. Skimming fast and low over the field of battle, the Land Speeders of the Support Squadrons scan constantly for anything that might threaten the mission. Where heavily armoured war engines or entrenched artillery attempt to devastate the Ravenwing formations, the Support Squadrons swoop low overhead, missiles and plasma blasts reducing the weapons of the foe to blazing scrap. Where infantry mass in sufficient quantities to swamp the huntsmen of the 2nd Company, the Support Squadron's Land Speeders pass back and forth, raking the enemy with bullets, bolts and fiery blasts. In this way, the Support Squadrons combine their strength with their land-bound brothers to crush the foe completely. Known Users of the Land Speeder Tornado *'Dark Angels' - The Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter makes heavy use of both Land Speeders and Land Speeder Tornadoes in their 2nd Company, the Ravenwing. The Dark Angels deployed over 15 Land Speeder Tornadoes during the Siege of Vraks against the Forces of Chaos. The Dark Angels also made use of these vehicles during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy against the Traitor Legions. *'Red Hunters' - The Red Hunters Space Marine Chapter deployed several Land Speeder variants, including the Tornado variant, during the Siege of Vraks against the Forces of Chaos. *'Raven Guard' - The Raven Guard make heavy use of the Land Speeder and its variants, especially the Land Speeder Tornado, during their many campaigns. The Raven Guard enjoy the vehicle's lightning fast speed and high maneuverability as it fits perfectly with their combat doctrine's emphasis on highly mobile warfare. The Raven Guard deployed several Land Speeder Tornadoes and other Land Speeder variants during the Imperial raid on the Ork-held planet of Kastorel-Novem. The Raven Guard also used these vehicles during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy against the Traitor Legions. *'Raptors' - The Raptors Space Marine Chapter, along with many other Chapters, used Land Speeders and Land Speeder Tornados during the Badab War against the Secessionist forces of the Tyrant of Badab, Lufgt Huron. *'Blood Ravens' - The Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter made use of the Land Speeder and its more common variants during the Dark Crusade and the Kaurava Campaign. *'World Eaters' - The World Eaters Space Marine Legion made use of the Land Speeder and Land Speeder Tornado during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, though they no longer make use of these vehicles. *'Ultramarines' - The Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter makes extensive use of the Land Speeder and all of its variants, and the Ultramarines have used these vehicles since the time of the Great Crusade. *'Emperor's Children' - The Emperor's Children Legion made heavy use of the Land Speeder and its variants during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, though they no longer make use of these vehicles in the 41st Millennium. *'Salamanders' - The Salamanders Space Marine Chapter have been using the Land Speeder and Land Speeder Tornado since the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. *'White Scars' - The White Scars make extensive use of the Land Speeder and all of its variants as their speed and maneuverability fit perfectly with their combat doctrine's emphasis on mobile warfare. The White Scars have made use of Land Speeders since the early days of the Great Crusade. Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications Also See *'Imperial Vehicles' Sources *''Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition'', pp. 117-124 *''Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One'', pp. 65, 145 *''Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three'', pg. 38 *''Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem'', pg. 60 *''Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One'', pg. 104 *''The Horus Heresy: Collected Visions'', pp. 62, 155, 231, 252, 255, 269, 298 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (5th Edition), pg. 74 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (6th Edition), pp. 95, 173 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Land Speeders," "Datasheet - Land Speeders" *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (8th Edition), pp. 3, 75, 170 *''Codex: Dark Angels'' (6th Edition), pg. 48 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Ravenwing Land Speeders", "Ravenwing", "Ravenwing Land Speeders (Datasheet)", "Ravenwing Support Squadron (Formation)" *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels'' (8th Edition), pp. 45, 111 Gallery RavenwingLandSpeeder01.png|The Land Speeder Tornado Stormlash of the Ravenwing. This vehicle’s hull shows its squadron number and the icon of the Ravenwing LandSpeederTornado00.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Dark Angels Chapter's 2nd Company, the Ravenwing LandSpeederTornado01.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Red Hunters Chapter LandSpeederTornado03.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Dark Angels Chapter's Ravenwing Company, armed with an Assault Cannon LandSpeederTornado04.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Raven Guard Chapter LandSpeederTornado000.png|A Land Speeder Tornado on the attack LandSpeederTornado02.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Red Scorpions Chapter LandSpeederTornado00000.png|A Land Speeder Tornado of the Raven Guard Chapter during combat LandSpeederTornado002.png|A squadron of Ultramarines Chapter Land Speeder Tornadoes during combat LandSpeederTornado001.png|An Ultramarines Chapter Land Speeder Tornado, dorsal-view es:Land Speeder Tornado Category:L Category:Imperium Category:Imperial Vehicles Category:Vehicles Category:Space Marines Category:Space Marine Vehicles